AN: Hi, sorry for the long but I haven't abandoned the story and never will. This chapter is not that dramatic but gives lots of important information, which plays a vital role in the plot i.e. more Snapey!!. Enjoy.

It's Just a Nightmare 21

            Harry stopped breathing. The information was still raw in his mind: his father, no Voldemort was about to ripped away part of his being and wipe his memory. Now that was scary, although not half as scary as the consequences of being found eavesdropping. A powerful instinct immediately took over his mind and he froze inside his hiding place hoping that he would not be seen. Suddenly his heart jolted forwards, he could hear the duo stop and distinctly heard Nagini whisper something into Voldemort's ear. Harry breathing increased a notch as he remember from his second year that snakes could taste chemicals emitted by their prey in the air and he was very conscious of the sweat that was beginning to form on the tip of his nose. There was no way to go. The statue was situated in an alcove set back from the main part of the corridor and only way to get out was to run into the hallway. He knew he would be caught and braced himself for the impact but the more Slytherin side of his brain could not help but try to think up some rather good excuses. However Voldemort could read minds so lying was certainly not an option.

            Measured footsteps approached the statue and Harry drew in a deep breath. A large part of him desperately wanted to stay rooted on the stop and hope that the danger would pass but something in the back of his mind told him to fight back. He was not going to hide like a coward behind a statue. He was a Gryffindor and he was going to look danger in the eye with a glare. With one fluid movement he stepped out from behind the statue and squared his shoulders at Voldemort who was a good foot taller than he was. An evil smirk twitched at the corners of the dark lord's face,

            "So young Harry, I guess you have been eavesdropping on our conversation. Did you find anything to your advantage? No doubt you want to know more?"

            "I think you are a sadistic, twisted man. Go to hell Voldemort, I'm not afraid of you!" Harry glared up into the red eyes. However Voldemort's smirk became much larger.

            "Oh I have no doubt you fear me very much even if you foolish Gryffindor pride refuses to admit it. I suppose now is the time to do it. No doubt you know what I am about to do but this is for your own good," a flash of emotion crossed his face, "I want you to know that this is hurting me more than it is hurting you." with one swish of his wand the trio were back in their chambers. Harry's eyes diluted with fear. In the centre of the room was a table covered in a thick padding of blood red cloth with leather straps. "Yes, I have been preparing this for tomorrow but seen as you already know I think we shall have to begin. It will hurt no doubt but, son, it is for your own good."

Harry found himself strapped to the table in an instant and he struggled as hard as possible but it was just futile. He stared up into the glowing red orbs of his father's eyes just as a jet of blue lightening struck his infamous scar. The pain was unbearable; it felt as if every cell of his body was sizzling in a deep fryer. He felt his body jerk as if being electrocuted. Suddenly his lung muscles seized up and spasm shot through his ribcage causing Harry to gasp for air. The pain intensified as Voldemort started to mutter other words unheard by Harry. Abruptly the pain drained from the lower part of his body, leaving a dull ache in his legs as a reminder. The pain was congregating in his torso and slowly migrating up to his head where it hit full force. His brain was being fried as hot pokers scoured the inside of his skull. Unexpectedly a new kind of pain erupted. A hot blade was slowly being pushed into his brain and was agonisingly cutting his brain into two. The blade progressed sizzling the matter that came into contact. It was nearing its destination a few more minutes……it was then that Harry's world went blank.

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"How long will it take him to heal, Avery?" demanded the Dark Lord as he sat in an armchair beside his sleeping son. Avery, a talented Slytherin, wasted no time in pinning all responsibility on another,

"Well, my lordship that would ultimately depend on how well these potions work. I must say, with no political element of course, that these complicated healing potions are not to their usual standard. A potion's master's handiwork cannot hold a candle to a potions adept."

"There is no need to pinion your handiwork on your tools, Avery. Now answer my question!" hiss Voldemort in his most dangerous voice

"I am so sorry to have offended you my lord. The prince will be able regain consciousness within the next few days." Avery's speech, though steady betrayed hints of fear.

"The precise time if you please," was the sarcastic reply.

"Probably the day after tomorrow, my lord, but," he hastily added, "that is no guarantee."

"I don't expect there to be one. Supervise your men in the complete recovery of my boy and it may just smooth over some of your earlier deeds during my long absence," red eyes flared up like two torches.

"Yes, my lord, of course you are infinitely merciful and forgiving……" the rest of the reply was cut off by the slamming of the door.

Avery turned back to his young patient lying among the silk sheets. He would have to tread carefully once the boy was awake. Although he was not against the Dark Lord, he was discontent. The removal of Severus from the political ranks had lost him a valuable ally. Severus was indeed the most slippery snake in the basket, constantly skipping from side to side. Once the Order was on the downslide dear Snape hopped back into the ranks by presenting the head of the infamous Kingsley Shacklebolt.

However the Dark Lord harboured huge amounts of doubt about his potions master. In the aftermath of that incident Severus took the exam for potions adept in order to prove his worth. The Dark Lord had been able to obtain some potions masters from other countries, none who were as good as Severus, but none the less he had them. With this fact flung in his face Snape craftily organised the adept exam, something that had not been performed in at least three centuries.

Of course Avery had never doubted Snape's success and apparently neither did a lot of other people, as his long time ally was then swamped by supporters from every circle of the ranks. However, much like the Gringotts stock market, support wavered and slipped after the Dark Lord practically locked him inside the fort and expressed his desire that Severus should be on hand to supply his with restoration potions. Of course this was a less than feasible excuses, as Avery knew restoration potions were a long way from his lordship's mind. This set up was quite obviously to stop Severus' active political life and to remove him from focus. Needless to say most people soon forgot about him altogether.

Throughout the War Snape was kept virtually inactive only being required to brew potions that were too advanced for the potions masters. Soon after the war ended and most of the opposition was removed. Voldemort found a better way to keep the lid on Severus. He was sent to the fringes of the Empire to "out down rebellions" as his lordship had put it but any half-wit would have figured that Snape was being banished for good.

This was all very much a headache for Avery as the removal of his most potent ally. Although he knew his own advancement in the ranks would be slow at best, the departure of Severus had made advancement almost impossible. He was shunted sideways, given the title of Chief Medicate and put in charge of a small band of healers. They were expected to be on hand to deal with ailments of the inner circle even though Avery had to admit himself that they were not as good as the healers in St. Mungos. Not that his standard was inadequate but the foreign healers had some appalling standards.

            Avery shook his head in dismay. Never in all his years of service had he expected to be stuck tending to pulled muscles and minor burns. He was one of the greatest anatomists of his generation and had spent seven years studying the effects of poisons on the body in Romania. Now with Severus gone there was only a handful left of the Left. The Inner Circle worked in mysterious ways and it had taken Avery some time to understand the system. There was predominantly two groups in the Inner Circle, Left and Right called accordingly for their political beliefs. Jugson and Mcnair were currently heading the Left, while the Lestranges and Malfoy retained an uneasy alliance to the Right. Severus and Avery had once been of predominant power in the Left but with Severus gone Avery's removal was instantaneous.  

            Avery tried to clear his mind of all the memories and concentrated on the task at hand, administrating Benoal solution into his young patient's veins. This would be able to help him regain consciousness more rapidly. What his lordship wants his lordship get by hook or by crook.

AN: Next chapter will be up in the next few weeks because I am writing furiously to squeeze in some more chapters before the exams. Next chapter will involve the reawakening and the long awaited beginning of the party. Please R+R thx.